The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, the approaches described in this section may not be prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
TV viewers can record broadcasted TV programs using a videocassette recorder (VCR). As such, a VCR user can record a particular TV program at the time it is broadcasted and play the same recorded TV program at a later time. In order to accomplish this, a VCR changes the electrical signals representing a TV program into magnetic signals and stores the magnetic signals on magnetic tape. The magnetic tape is usually in the form of a videocassette Lape inserted into the VCR by the VCR user. When a VCR user decides to play back the TV program, the process is reversed, and the VCR changes the magnetic signals stored on the videocassette tape into electrical signals and sends the electrical signals to a TV set.
With the development of digital technology, VCRs are being replaced by digital video recorders (DVRs). Like a VCR, a DVR records broadcasted TV programs for later playback by changing electrical signals of the TV program into digital information and storing the digital information in a memory device. When the user plays back the recorded TV program, the DVR converts the digital information back to analog signals and sends the signals to the TV set which displays the TV program for the viewer.
DVRs are becoming increasingly popular and widely used for recording broadcasted TV programs. While the ability to record and control the playback of recorded TV programs is convenient, DVR users are forced to view recorded TV programs at a TV set connected to the particular DVR which recorded the program. Put differently, a DVR user cannot view recorded TV programs away from the DVR that recorded the program. As a consequence, a drawback typical to a DVR is the inability to view recorded TV programs in multiple locations. However, DVR users desire to watch recorded TV programs away from the DVR that recorded the TV programs.
At the same time, content providers who provide TV programs are concerned with preserving and monitoring copyrighted program material. Thus, content providers do not want DVR users to freely transfer TV programs to unauthorized devices or distribute recorded TV programs to other unauthorized DVR users.
What is desired is to establish a secure communication system through which a user may transfer recorded TV programs and other multimedia content from a DVR to a Personal Computer (PC). Additionally, such a system would provide a user with the ability to transfer recorded programs from a PC to another device in a secure manner that preserves the program material provider's copyrights.